EXPUNGING A CRIMINAL RECORD

A petition and court Order of Expungement offers the opportunity to have criminal history information erased in very limited circumstances. This can be useful when applying for jobs that require a background check. Until recently only arrests that do not result in convictions, such as ARDs or Section 17s, could be expunged.

Recent legislation now permits convictions for summary offenses- such as retail theft, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct- to be expunged after 5 years.

Finally, expungements are available where some, but not all of the charges, have been dismissed or where an arrest did not result in a conviction.

A conversation with an attorney can help you determine if a criminal record can be expunged.